How the Oil Spill Will Ruin Your Dinner

It's still spewing. Animals are still dying. And, on a selfish level, some of your favorite summertime meals are no longer an option. Here's what safe, plus fair substitutions for those things that (sadly) aren't.

The problem: Imagine there's a huge wave of oil approaching and your movement is limited to… drifting. That's how shrimp feel. Even bleaker: young shrimp won't be able to mature in the Gulf Coast's estuaries if the slick keeps spreading.

Your dinner's problem: According to David Coopersmith, of Scandia Seafoods in New Jersey, "We're virtually going to lose this season." Instead, you'll be eating imported shrimp from Asia and South America, which are more expensive (meaning: fewer in your summer scampi).

The solution: Eat crayfish instead.

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Emmanuel Dunand/Getty

Bluefin Tuna

The problem: Bluefin tuna were already heavily overfished before the oil spill; their population was at 10 percent of its natural levels. Those numbers may sink lower, since the Gulf of Mexico is one of two areas in the world where they spawn — the larvae are basically floating in oil right now.

Your dinner's problem: Change your sashimi habits accordingly: "The population of the next generation might not be there in years to come," says Jackie Savitz, of the conservation group Oceana.

The solution: Get up in some yellowfin: it's cheaper and almost as high-quality.

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Mark Ralston/Getty

Gulf Oysters

The problem: Oysters are suspension feeders, meaning they filter water to get their food. Unfortunately, this method of munching means that they’ll be continually siphoning the dark stuff.

Your dinner's problem: "If you go to a very chic place, they may be featuring very expensive oysters, so they’re not affected," says Kirk Halpern, the C.E.O. of Halpern's seafood distributors. "But if you're going to a working man's restaurant, they're using Gulf oysters."

The solution: Go chic or go home.

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Sugar

The problem: Climatologists are expecting a pretty rough hurricane season, which would blow oil inland and cause serious damage to Louisiana's sugar cane crop — where a fifth of domestic sugar comes from.

Your dinner's problem: Rest assured. Up to 95 percent of the state's crop is grown far enough inland to remain safe, according to Jim Simon, the General Manager of American Sugar Cane League.

The solution: Splenda? Nah.

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Jason Andrew/Getty

Mahi-mahi

The problem: These fish are largely found in unaffected waters off Texas and western Louisiana. Still, fewer are coming in this season, which Halpern suspects is due to the mahi's food sources (crabs and smaller fish) being killed. "It's just speculation, but there should be more," he says.

Your dinner's problem: They're caught all over the world, but of course, restaurants would have to pay much higher prices to import them from abroad.

The solution: Go for other white fish like tilapia or cod.

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Justin Sullivan/Getty

Red Snapper

The problem: Because a third of the Gulf’s fishing waters have been closed, few are being caught. Adding to the problem is an unrelated ruling by the government, which prohibits red snapper fishing in the southeastern Atlantic indefinitely.

The solution: Try rockfish, which is often mislabeled as red snapper, but actually comes from the West Coast.

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Paul J. Richards/Getty

Coffee

The problem: As the slick spreads, ships are taking detours to avoid those ports that are closer to the spill, resulting in increased shipping costs. Since twenty percent of imported coffee passes through the Port of New Orleans, all of this could end up costing you.

Your dinner's problem: It depends. Since the flow of oil hasn't stopped yet, it's hard to say if shipping will ever be truly affected. If so, there are always after-dinner drinks, right?

The solution: If you're that concerned about your morning caffeine: start hoarding.

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Joe Raedle/Getty

Sea Turtles

The problem: Five species of sea turtles — all of them threatened or endangered — live in the Gulf. Since the spill, over 270 dead turtles have washed up on shore. Many of the turtles bear visible signs of oil, but the ones that don’t are more worrisome, since scientists aren’t exactly sure what’s causing their deaths.

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